Introduction to East Asian Cinema - Essay Example

? Running Head: INTRODUCTION TO EAST ASIAN CINEMA In comparison with Hollywood and other large media corporations around the world, East Asian cinema has gained tremendous growth in entertainment over the years. China’s movie industry has witnessed superb work from talented film directors and script writers since the industry’s inception in the early 20’Th century. Yoo (2012) says that with respect to content and artistic works, thematic construction can be cited as one of the main aspects that propels Chinese movies to international recognition. In the year 2004, Jia Zhangke, a renowned film director and script writer coordinated production of the movie dubbed “The World”. The movie had a well structured thematic direction and representation of Chinese culture that it gained government’s approval. Despite application of modern settings within the film, it possesses some close similarities with ‘Journey to the West’, which was released in February 2013 by Chinese Huayi Brother’s film company. Yoo (2012) says that with respect to the moral story behind Jia’s film, one can develop an understanding that the director strives to create a contrast between two different cultures. In this regard, one can say that Jai’s film, ‘The World’, portrays a theme of clash of civilization witnessed in modern globalized societies. ‘Journey to the West’ resembles ‘The World’ in key elements constituting its thematic structure. The movie features the struggle between Chu, and Huen in an effort to retrieve lost treasures stolen by a western insurgent group. This film employs a traditional Chinese setting in its physical portrayal of scenery background. The film’s director develops a fantasy-action film creating a contrast between western extremists and traditional Chinese fighters. Ciecko (2010) says that unlike Jia’s film, ‘Journey to the West’ incorporates significant use of imagery and classical dialog in enhancing development of an fantasy filled movie, with typical crew members representing traditional Chinese art. On the contrary, Jia adopts local actors to play defined roles in showing interactions between Western world and Chinese cultures. Therefore, there is a pronounced similarity between thematic construction of ‘The World’ and that of ‘Journey to the West’. ‘Journey to the West’ entails depiction of Chu demonstrating his martial art skills in elaborately traditional Chinese stages. In this movie, cultural designs remain conspicuous in the attire and infrastructural development of Kung-fu stages used in fights. In addition, Huen demonstrates his exceptional ability to blend tragedy and comedy into the movie. In this context, ‘Journey to the West’ film contains some similarities with one of the East Asian movie watched in class. The movie, ‘The World’, captures most of its key scenes within Beijing’s World Park. This park lies squarely inside China’s mainland. Despite this fact, infrastructure development inside the park seeks to create an environment different from that of actual Chinese environment. The main aim of the unique constructions inside the park is meant to create an environment, where tourists would be able to view representation of the world inside a single tourist attraction site. Ciecko (2010) says that the park’s entrance bares structures resembling typical Roman castles and Gothic sculptures. In addition, gardens inside the left side of the main entrance depict symbolic Italian landscape in terms of terrain and the grand staircase. Apart from these features at the entrance, the world’s perception in enhanced by presence of typical landmark features located in different nations around the globe. Within the movie, ‘Journey to the West’, one main actor named Xuan Zang seems to develop significant interest in the structural and physical appearances of infrastructure within the extremists warehouse facility. Commander Steward, the leader of the extremist group runs into Xuan admiring the city view from one balcony. This admiration of view signifies difference in infrastructural development between the two cultures under consideration. On the other hand, Zhao who is the main character in, ‘The World’ appears close to a miniature model of America’s statue of liberty. In this context, portrayal of that landmark within the park strives to create imaginations about the North American culture. In this regard, depiction of main world’s cultures inside china symbolizes a pronounced aspect of globalization. According to Ciecko (2010), tourists inside the park come from different parts of the world into Beijing, and interact with local tourists and workers inside the park. Zhao and Taisheng, who are the major starring guests in the films, seem to enjoy their work and experience of different sceneries during their earlier days at work. In this case, it is appreciable that the film’s setting facilitates development of the main theme. Distinction between Chinese infrastructure and that portrayed inside the park symbolizes difference in cultures between china and the rest of the world’s cultures. In the context of Journey to the West, Xuan develops a romantic feeling towards one of the fellow demons hunter named Miss Duan. This emotional attachment is further enhanced by the fact that their roles as protagonists led to numerous encounters in the movie. At one instance, these two actors were assigned similar roles during the hunting process. However, Xuan rejected various sexual attempts of the miss during mission times. With respect to ‘The World’, discordance in cultures between locals and tourists features in the event that Zhao meets a Russian artist named Anna. In the film, Anna makes some efforts to befriend Zhao but they could not understand each other because of difference in language. In the twist of events, Anna becomes frustrated with her work as a performer and insinuates that she will enter into commercial sex work in order to make additional money. Zhao receives the news as shock and feels some disappointment from her new friend. In this case, Zhao disapproves of prostitution as a decent way of making a living. With respect to her local Chinese perception, she views commercial sex work as unethical and immoral economic conduct. According to Ciecko (2010), Zhao even cries when she actually bumps into Anna in a bar giving prostitution services to patrons. This scene signifies a substantial discordance between cultures in the Western world and that within Asian nations like China. Within the film, interactions between the two starring actors facilitate development of the theme in subject. At first, Taisheng, who works as a security guard as the Beijing park approaches Zhao and proposed of his intentions to make the dancer his girlfriend. In the progress of their relationship, the two couples develop discomfort and strains with respect to their next move as lovers. Taisheng insisted on sex with Zhao. However, Zhao never took sexual encounters on casual bases, and so disapproves of Taisheng’s advances. Eventually, Taisheng succeeds in convincing Zhao to have sex with her. Upon engagement in sexual intercourse, Zhao reached a compromise with his boyfriend on the issue of fidelity in their advanced relationship. Zhao vehemently claims that she would poison Taisheng if he tries to depict any sign of infidelity and mistrust in their relationship. According to Ciecko (2010), one appreciates the fact that Zhao’s perception on the issue of sex is attributed to social and cultural factors. This scene resembles the instance in ‘Journey to the West’ where Xuan agrees to sleep with Duan after one successful mission in demon hunting. Despite his willingness prior to the sexual encounter, Xuan developed disgusting feelings of guilt and blames Duan of his gross misdeeds. In their duties within the park, Zhao and Taisheng receive local visitors, most of who comprise of their relatives and friends. In the process, one gets to learn that the cast member’s friends experiences interactions within the Beijing Park for their first time. The director applies utilization of efficient camera portrayals in depicting encounters of actor’s family members within the park. Guests present in these casts appear typical and authentic in the roles they play. One would even think that the director picked random street people and recorder their conversations without their knowledge. In this case, the film contains sequences of interactions between common citizens and the visiting tourists inside the park. Ciecko (2010) says that the film exposes us to acknowledge the difference on the manner in which locals and tourists interact with each other. With respect to interactions between locals and foreigners in ‘Journey to the West’ Chu and Huen encounters numerous instances of confrontations and interactions with locals within the western society. In the process, Chu tries to elicit favors from the locals by requesting information about the hunting mission. However, their interactions experience technical hitches attributed to discordance in their languages. This instance signifies a substantial clash in cultural aspects between the locals and foreigners. Within the scenes in Chinese Mainland, Huen develops lustful desires on women and party functions staged within the region. In his dialog, the actor insinuates that upon completion of their mission, he would like to move to China Town where his rich uncles live. This context resembles scenes in Jia’s movie. Jia portrays the desire of Chinese population to shift from the traditional settings characterizing china’s societies, to modernized societies in other parts of the world. Towards the end of the film, Qun makes significant efforts in her plan to travel outside the country. According to her, she is tired of seeing the rest of the world from representations of miniature landmark models inside the park. Her wish would be to travel to real destinations and experience actual environmental and social settings of western and American cultures. In this case, Qu reports to Taisheng of her success in acquiring a travel visa. According to Ciecko (2010), this scene represents the desire of Chinese citizens in yearning to become tourists in other parts of the world. They would wish to move out of their closet within China, and experience actual magnitude of landmark buildings outside their society. At this juncture, it is evident that the local Chinese populace within the film appears disillusioned with life outside the rest of the world. Ciecko (2010) says that experience with tourists will not satisfy their desire to interact with other societies outside their environmental vicinity. In this context, presence of other cultures within their land makes local people to feel restricted and disconnected from their ability to travel outside their social settings. Throughout the 141-minute film, interactions between various actors in major scenes facilitate development of a sustainable theme. This theme resembles that developed throughout the entire scenes of ‘Journey to the West’. Zhao’s character traits, especially on her perception on sex and social relationships, show a significant discordance between cultures under consideration. Despite the fact that other scenes seeks to portray the charming and glittering nature of tourists, subsequent scenes would give an opposite view on the park’s members, especially Zhao and Taisheng. Tourists appear charming and fashionable, while Chinese staff inside the park possesses qualities of loneliness and poor communication with each other. According to Ciecko (2010), the director succeeds in depicting the substantial cultural clash between traditional China and the Western cultures; hence successfully developing a clash of civilization theme in the film. Reference List Ciecko, T. M. (2010). Contemporary Asian Cinema: Popular Culture in a Global Frame. Indianapolis: Berg Publishing. Yoo, J. H. (2012). Cinema at the Crossroad: Nation and the Subject in East Asian Cinema. Pittsburgh: Lexington Books. Read More